Tissue growth on a nutritive surface typically reaches a critical size where continued growth necessitates a blood supply for internal nutrient delivery and waste removal. In the absence of blood supply, the critical tissue size is approximately one cubic millimeter. Cancerous tissue routinely emit angiogenesis factors to encourage capillary ingrowth. No current method exists, in vitro, to completely support tissue with a vasculature over a long period of time.
Tissue grafted from one individual to another temporarily grows and functions if a high degree of immunocompatability is present and immunosuppressive agents are employed in the host. However, the best substitute for diseased and damaged tissue is an individual is similiar healthy tissue from that same individual. In cases where conditions for growth of certain tissues in that individual are not present, a tissue substitute must be found. Although artificial organs have made considerable developmental progress, serious problems of power supply, compactability, and biological interfacing remain. In certain cases, such as severe muscular dystrophy or leukemia, no substitute is found and the individual dies. A critical need exists whereby a remaining portion of healthy tissue may be operatively removed from an individual, grown to a larger size, and then operatively substituted back within the individual to replace similiar damaged tissue.
This invention addresses these needs.